The present invention relates to a method and a device for automatically guiding an aircraft taxiing on the ground.
It is known that aircraft, in particular transport airplanes, are equipped with aeronautical systems making it possible to automatically follow an axis or a heading on the ground. An automatic landing is in particular known that is based on following a guiding beam of ILS (Instrument Landing System) type, which makes it possible on the one hand to guide the aircraft in flight, horizontally and vertically, and on the other hand to guide the aircraft on the ground, only horizontally to the end of a runway, by implementing a so-called “roll-out” maneuver. This maneuver makes it possible to guide the aircraft laterally on the ground so as to keep it on the central axis of the runway indicated by the ILS beam. The aircraft can be guided manually, by indicating to the pilot the position of the aircraft relative to the beam, or else automatically using an automatic piloting system. Other, similar guiding assistance devices are known, such as a system of GLS (GPS Landing System) type, a system of SLS (Satellite Landing System) type, or a system of MLS (Microwave Landing System) type, which require infrastructures on the ground or the involvement of satellites.
In the absence of infrastructures of ILS type or similar infrastructures on an airport, there is no device that makes it possible to automatically guide the aircraft along an axis after landing. Furthermore, the use of a system of ILS or similar type enforces following the axis indicated by the beam, and therefore leaves the pilot no latitude, in particular for shifting slightly onto a parallel to the central axis of the runway, in order, for example, to avoid taxiing over lamps installed along the central axis, which is uncomfortable for the pilot and the passengers. On the other hand, in manual piloting mode, a simple shift of the aircraft, for example by one meter to the left or the right of the central axis of the runway is sufficient to avoid taxiing over the lamps.
Moreover, on take-off or upon a rejected take-off of RTO type, there is no device that makes it possible to automatically guide the aircraft along an axis, in order in particular to assist the pilot in certain conditions rendering the piloting more difficult, such as a strong cross wind, a system failure (for example a brake failure on one of the landing gears, resulting in involuntary differential braking), or an engine failure.